90 percent of the U.S. military budget during the Cold War was spent on non-nuclear forces, to provide a credible deterrent posture across the full spectrum of potential threats.
The Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor fighter fits comfortably into this framework. Because it is more survivable, agile and versatile than other fighters, it can achieve air dominance even in places where adversaries have a big numerical advantage. Once air dominance is established, enemies are left naked to the other instruments of U.S. military power without being able to attack our own forces.
The F-22 is also equipped to conduct an array of secondary missions such as missile defense, reconnaissance and network attack, enabling the precise tailoring of effects that contributes to effective deterrence. But what really makes it a powerful deterrent -- unlike nuclear weapons, in most cases -- is that enemies know the U.S. government will not hesitate to use it. That has to influence how potential aggressors weigh their options.
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